What is that noise

[orezok]

We built our retirement home about 13 years ago. Every winter we get this "rattling" noise which appears to be coming from the register in the bedroom. It never rattles when the A/C is on only heat.

I have checked the register and went into the attic to check the FAU several times.

I thought I better find the cause this time as my wife threatened to take a hammer and start bashing things until the noise stopped.

Again I checked the register and went into the attic. The sound seemed louder at the FAU so I started looking for a loose screw or something that would cause the noise. Half disassembled the FAU, banged on all the panels to see if one was oil canning but no joy.

I about give up and when I turn around to go down, it seems like the noise was coming from behind me. I look and there is the 3/4" plastic condensate drain line touching one of the studs on the bedroom wall. I move the line and the noise stops. I got a small piece of felt and put it between the pipe and stud and problem solved. Crazy because it sounded exactly like a metal to metal rattle.

 

[MossRoad]

Does your furnace fan have different speeds for AC and heat? Ours did. So we'd get different vibrations and harmonics at different fan speeds.

 

[orezok]

Does your furnace fan have different speeds for AC and heat? Ours did. So we'd get different vibrations and harmonics at different fan speeds.

Yes it does. Cold air is heavier and harder to move thus the higher speed for A/C.

 

[Dftodd]

We got a thunk sound from the pipes when our air handler would shut down on the heat cycle. We have a heat pump, and from what the HVAC guy told me, it basically reverses the flow of Freon. I narrowed it down to one of the lines inside the air handler and was able to secure it solid with a couple pipe hangers. Only did it when the unit was heating. It was nice and quiet when the a.c. was running.

We were getting a thump similar to water hammer when a faucet gets shut off and a pipes loose.

 

[oosik]

Ha, ha - it really doesn't take much. And if its irritating, elusive and constant - so much the worse. I have baseboard electric heat. One of the baseboard heaters would crack, pop, tink, etc as it went thru its normal heat cycle. It was simply driving me crazy. I took it off the wall, put small metal washers between it and the wall when I reinstalled. BINGO - all the weird sounds are gone. I think it was the metal expanding as the heater would heat/expand - cool/contract and that the back of the heater was in direct contact with the wall.

 

[Oaktree]

Dumb question, but what's an FAU?

 

[orezok]

Dumb question, but what's an FAU?

Forced Air Unit

Sorry, after being a General Contractor for 39 years, one gets used to using contractor slang

 

[Wakey]

I got a chuckle because I'm wired the same way. Nothing in my world is allowed to make uncommon noises.

A few times a year I have to rearrange the wine glasses in the china hutch so they don't chime when I walk by.

The only thing that would make your story better is if the noise was somehow your fault.

I have a running joke where I ;

1- Create a problem.

2- Solve the problem.

3- Claim hero status :laughing:

 

[Dftodd]

I got a chuckle because I'm wired the same way. Nothing in my world is allowed to make uncommon noises.

A few times a year I have to rearrange the wine glasses in the china hutch so they don't chime when I walk by.

The only thing that would make your story better is if the noise was somehow your fault.

I have a running joke where I ;

1- Create a problem.

2- Solve the problem.

3- Claim hero status :laughing:

I had a similar issue when the fridge kicked on. Wife had a couple wine bottles and some wine glasses up there that would start rattling together.

Heard the rattling noise just after I finished replacing the dishwasher. Had a minor melt down thinking the motor was fixing to go in the fridge. Then looked up and had a "whew" moment

 

[oosik]

There is a large china cabinet right here next to me. Every so often I have to go in and rearrange the wine glasses. It's that twinkly sound. Lets me know that even though the house footings are on solid bedrock - things will move over time.

I don't like or drink wine. However, when I use a cut crystal wine glass to drink my JD - do I have to hold my pinky finger out and erect??? When we have company and serve wine - I slip into the kitchen and fill my wine glass with a double shot of JD.